When it comes to managing your business, there is an endless array of software and platforms that make it easier than ever. With such a wealth of choices, the hardest thing about managing your business is choosing the right platform!

There are lots of resources for weighing the pros and cons of each program, and I strongly recommend doing your research. Check out tech websites, talk to fellow business owners, but keep in mind that what works well for one business might not be the best option for another.

I can’t tell you the definitive “best choice” for your company, but I can help you narrow the playing field. I’ve chosen some of the top performers in 5 major categories. I’ll tell you what I love about them and which ones I use personally. Use this guide as part of your research process when you’re choosing the best business management platforms for your business.

• Bookkeeping

One name you’ll see on nearly every top tech list is QuickBooks. It’s been around forever, has a ton of features, and is relatively affordable for most businesses. The only con is that QuickBooks offers so many features that some less tech-savvy users may find it difficult to use.

If a steep learning curve has you worried, consider other options like Wave Accounting or GoDaddy Bookkeeping. I use GoDaddy and I love it! It’s easy to use and it connects directly to most banks and payment accounts. It figures my estimated tax payments and even creates my tax documents for me!

• Team Communication

The bigger your team, the bigger your communication needs. Smaller teams might be able to get by with good old email (my standard go-to!), but teams with lots of members need more integrated platforms to keep their communication flowing.

Slack, Skype, Voxer and WhatsApp are great for big team communication. I really love Slack because it gives you tons of options. You can have multiple client accounts as well as individual chat channels to segregate various topics, conversations, or projects.

• CRMs

Keeping up with customer relationships is incredibly important. There are tons of programs available but finding the best fit for your business depends on your unique needs. MailChimp is my personal choice because it’s easy to use and works as well as many of the bigger names for contact management, newsletters and campaigns.

If you need a program that can offer more in-depth contact management and campaigns, I recommend ActiveCampaign. It’s really easy to set up and create different types of email campaigns with different kinds of triggers and paths it can follow.

• Project Management

Some of the big names in project management platforms are Asana, Teamwork, and Monday.com. My hands-down favorite is Asana. It’s incredibly easy to use and the way most businesses use it is completely free! If you need to upgrade to Asana’s premium services, it’s still super affordable.

That’s not always the case with some of the other programs, so here’s my advice: Unless you have very involved project management needs, stick with the basics that get the job done well without costing a fortune.

• Sales

I don’t do big volume sales in my business, so I don’t use a major sales tracking tool. I can’t vouch for one personally, but I’d advise my clients to check out Salesforce, Hubspot, and Monday.com.

Salesforce has a powerful, customizable CRM platform, but it’s expensive and you frequently have to pay for add-ons. Configuration and set-up can be complicated, so be ready for a steep learning curve.

Hubspot has been around for a while and it’s one of the most popular platforms for marketing automation. It’s easy to use and has great customer support, but there are monthly fees as well as onboarding costs.

Monday.com is a multi-function platform, so if you’re looking for one program that can “do it all,” this might be a good choice for you. It has some great features but be forewarned that the mobile app isn’t the greatest, and cross-posting to multiple boards is manual and time consuming.

Hopefully, this guide helps you narrow your choices to a few top contenders. If you need help determining the best platform for your business or implementing your chosen programs, the tech experts at SophieZo are here for you! Book a call today!